Monday, September 7, 2009

MB Tan Sri Khalid's decision to shelve the temple relocation is a disappointment.

Anyone who watches the video of the dialogue between the Selangor Mentri Besar and residents of Section 23 of Sham Alam held on 5.9.2009 can easily tell that those who constantly shouted and disrupted the meeting had no intention of engaging in a discussion on the issue of temple relocation.

It is so clear that right from the beginning, these people were there not to listen or discuss, but merely to disrupt the meeting.

I am surprised that Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim did not tell those present that the dialogue would only proceed if there was no shouting and disruption.

I am shocked that he even announced shelving of the temple relocation at the meeting after he had on 21 August vowed that he would not buckle under Umno's threat to apply for an injunction against the temple relocation.Many opposition supporters I spoke to have voiced their disappointment with the Mentri Besar's announcement. While they believe that the Selangor state government will finally find an alternative site for the temple relocation, they feel that his decision will give very wrong messages to the people.

The first wrong message is that these who are unhappy with a state government 's decision can exert pressure by shouting and disrupting at a dialogue and carrying out cow head demonstration.

The second wrong message is that grounds like Muslim majority area is an acceptable reason for rejection of a building of an Indian temple, even if the location is some 200 m away from the nearest house.

If the Muslim majority ground can be accepted, then how many places in Selangor are non Muslim majority areas where their places of worship can be built? In other countries where Muslims are the minority, is there a suitable place for them?

We live in a multi racial and multi religious society and mutual respect for each other is of utmost importance . Malaysians must always be sensitive to each other's feelings and sensitivity.The residents' therefore have the right to object and protest but the ground for doing so must be reasonable , fair and justified.

Before the cow head demonstration took place, Pakatan Rakyat ( PR ) Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad had publicly explained that the most practical and strategic location for the temple is in Section 23, where it will be 200m from the nearest house and 200 m from a surau.

There are areas in Malaysia where places of worship of different religions are situated not far from each other and there has been no problem or complaint of not respecting one's sensitivity.

5.9.2009 was a day the protestors prevailed but it was a black day for 1 Malaysia.